Rick Griffith is one of Denver’s most iconic creatives. Not only is he a tour de force as the owner and design director of graphic design studio Matter, he also serves as a Commissioner of Arts and Culture, a position which he has held for over three years. Because of his signature style, Griffith brings a captivating presence to just about any event or project he is involved with in Denver.  

A native of the United Kingdom, Griffith moved to the United States in the 1980s as a kid. His family settled in suburban Washington, D.C. (Fairfax County). And at the time, D.C. was the epicenter of the punk movement, which prized individuality and was a sort of precursor to the modern DIY movement. Being in the midst of this scene was a big influence in his creative development from a young age, Griffith says. People were rejecting the establishment, but Griffith says the message that stuck with him was “pro-me, not anti-you,” which has imbued him with an originality matched by few.  

While working in and around the music scene in D.C.’s record stores and admiring the art on album covers, he says, he knew at a young age he wanted to be a designer. 

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